The Jewish Community of Rhodes, in Rhodes, Greece, is inclusive of the Kahal Shalom Synagogue, the oldest synagogue in Greece, and the Jewish Museum of Rhodes. I find it a privilege to have written this feature.

I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to the gracious Carmen Cohen, Director of the Jewish Community of Rhodes, for his invaluable support and permission to write this article.

The Mediterranean Sea is situated between Europe, Asia, and Africa. Located in this beautiful sea is the island of Rhodes, the ninth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea and the largest of the Dodecanese islands.

Today, the population of Rhodes teeters at 125,000, yet the Jewish population of Rhodes is small, currently only 20-25 Jews reside on the island.

Don’t let these numbers mislead you. Jews lived on this Mediterranean island of Rhodes for centuries. In fact, the Jewish community of Rhodes dates to the 2nd century BC. The history of Jews on this island it both rich and poignant, standing as a testament to a devoted people and their resilience.

For over two thousand years, the island of Rhodes served as a cultural crossroads in the Aegean Sea. Among the many civilizations that left their mark on its fortified medieval walls, few histories are as poignant or enduring as that of its Jewish community. Centered in the historic quarter of La Juderia, the Jewish population of Rhodes evolved from an ancient settlement into a vibrant epicenter of Sephardic culture following the Spanish Inquisition.

Today, it is this Jewish heritage that is kept alive by the Jewish Community of Rhodes and the Rhodes Jewish Museum.

The Jewish community of Rhodes dates to the 2nd century BC, as mentioned in the Book of Maccabees. In 1116, Spanish traveler Benjamin of Tudela visited Rhodes and recorded a community of between 400 to 500 Jews. The community lived in the walled medieval quarter known as La Juderia, which is the historic Jewish quarter located in the northeast corner of the walled medieval Old Town. In 1467, an Italian Rabbi visited Rhodes and wrote in a letter “I have never encountered a Jewish Community in which everyone, from the eldest to the youngest, is so........

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